Chapter 172: Leaving—My Brother Is Here
Without Yan Luo King, A Block grew restless again. Nan Xun became the publicly acknowledged new prison boss—but like Yan Luo before him, he was a boss who didn’t actually manage affairs.
Nan Xun might not run things, but he did pick a new second-in-command for A Block: Brother Tie from Cell 242. As a result, everyone in 242 instantly leveled up in status.
With Brother Tie handling the unruly inmates on the inside and his second brother Ji He backing him up on the outside, Nan Xun’s days were actually pretty comfortable—but he was lonely.
Most inmates spent their time doing labor in the workshops. Back when his brother Yan Luo was around, the two of them did more brain-based work—soldering circuit boards, assembling small electrical parts, that sort of thing. But his second brother Ji He was a real roughneck, only suited for grinding stones and polishing metal components. They weren’t assigned to the same area, so Nan Xun had no one to chat with to pass the time. Apart from meeting during morning runs or yard time, or occasionally taking an evening walk together, they were basically never together.
And Nan Xun suspected that his second brother Ji He’s private life might be rather… “colorful,” so he usually didn’t go looking for him at night either.
Today marked the twenty-eighth day since Yan Luo left—almost a full month. Nan Xun missed him more and more. He had already changed Su Mobai’s original fate of being gang-raped to death three years later. With his current status, no one dared provoke him, even if some people still secretly called him the “A Block Beauty” instead of the prison boss.
Prison life was dull and monotonous. Nan Xun was impatiently waiting for Little Eight to wake up so he could leave with him. Still, deep down, there was an indescribable trace of regret and unease.
During yard time, Nan Xun plopped down on the grass in a very macho sitting posture. Ji He sat across from him.
“Second bro, I miss my brother,” Nan Xun said, squinting up at the glaring sun. The harsh light irritated his eyes until they filled with reflex tears.
Ji He didn’t know that, though—he thought Nan Xun was actually crying. The big tough guy became awkward and flustered, only able to pat his shoulder and comfort him. “Don’t cry, Xiao Bai. Yan Luo will get us out.”
Nan Xun heard the certainty in his tone and couldn’t help but feel surprised. “Second bro, how do you know that? No matter how powerful my brother is, he can’t reach into Meihuan Prison, can he?”
Ji He replied, “True, he can’t reach in directly. But there are other ways—like finding someone to take the fall, or reopening your case. Turning intentional homicide into negligent self-defense, plus your good behavior during your sentence, and add a hefty bail—getting out is just a matter of a month or two.”
Nan Xun’s expression shifted slightly. He looked at Ji He with a hint of scrutiny. “Second bro, you seem to know my brother really well.”
Ji He met his gaze and smiled faintly. “Xiao Bai, Yan Luo says you’re naïve and pure. I’ve never thought that. You’re just used to having Yan Luo protect you, so you’re lazy about thinking and paying attention to other things. Once he left, you subconsciously started relying on yourself. In your eyes, no one is truly reliable—including me.”
For once, his expression was exceptionally serious. Those eyes that always hid countless emotions stared steadily at Nan Xun. “Xiao Bai, did you and Yan Luo really not know each other before? The feeling you give me is that you’ve known each other for a very long time.”
Nan Xun froze, then scoffed. “Second bro, what nonsense are you spouting? How could I have known my brother before? He’s from the underworld; I was just a student. And what, do you think you’re a psychology professor, reading people so well?”
Ji He reached out as if to ruffle his hair, but Nan Xun dodged. Ji He shrugged. “See? That’s the difference. You’ll let Yan Luo touch your head, but not me. In your heart, you only acknowledge him.”
Nan Xun stabbed him right in the heart without mercy. “Not to be rude, second bro, but my brother dotes on me more than you do. And I’ve got psychological trauma from you—last time you and that so-called prison beauty were doing that in the bushes and I walked in on it. I seriously can’t look at you the same way anymore.”
Ji He was stunned, then burst out laughing. “Silly little brother, you didn’t really think I like men, did you? That was just normal male release.”
He added casually, “It was consensual. He satisfied my physical needs, and I protected him. Simple as that.”
Nan Xun didn’t fully believe him. Ji He gave off a strange vibe—half righteous, half wicked. There was always something hidden in his eyes, something unfathomable at first glance.
His right hand was covered in scars, the original fingerprints long since unrecognizable. His body bore many injuries too—it was obvious he’d been through plenty of fights. He was also very good at reading people. Nan Xun even suspected he’d studied psychology.
“Second bro,” Nan Xun said solemnly, staring at him, “the way you talk makes me suspect you deliberately approached my brother just to get out of here sooner.”
Ji He’s expression didn’t change. “You think he didn’t know?” It was an indirect admission.
Nan Xun froze as Ji He continued, “He’s a big shot in the underworld. I’m just a thug from a second-rate gang—I’m insignificant to him. Even if I hadn’t helped that day, he had other ways to protect himself. So he didn’t need to owe me anything.”
After a brief pause, his gaze toward Nan Xun grew deeper. “He was simply finding you someone to rely on—someone to protect you in his place while he was gone. During the time we spent together, he was cultivating our friendship and quietly evaluating how reliable I was.”
Ji He stopped there, because the whistle signaling the end of yard time sounded.
Nan Xun followed behind him, his expression dazed.
If everything Ji He said was true, then Yan Luo had… planned all of this for him long ago?
Staring at the back of Ji He’s head, Nan Xun suddenly called out, “Second bro, even if you approached my brother just to get out, my brother and I still acknowledge you as family!”
Ji He’s steps paused. He turned back to look at Nan Xun, a rare hint of warmth on his face—though mixed with complexities Nan Xun couldn’t quite understand.
A little over a month later, when a guard told Nan Xun he could be released, he was surprised. Just as Ji He had said, Yan Luo had found a way to get him out—only Nan Xun hadn’t expected it to happen so fast.
Before leaving, Nan Xun couldn’t help looking back at all the inmates from Cell 242. Brother Tie, Du Pan, and the others wore expressions of reluctance, but even more of admiration.
Nan Xun punched each of them lightly in the chest and grinned. “Reform yourselves properly. We’ll meet again outside.”
Brother Tie and Du Pan nodded. Lao San and a few others cried like dogs—whether because they didn’t want Nan Xun to leave or because they were thinking about the rest of their lives, no one knew.
Nan Xun was released from prison.
Passing through two towering iron gates under electronic surveillance, he spotted a black sedan a hundred meters away at a single glance.
The car window rolled down. Seeing that familiar handsome face, Nan Xun let out a cry of surprise and sprinted over.
Yan Luo had already gotten out of the car. He pulled Nan Xun into his arms and spun him around several times, holding him tight.
